 | Lvcans first booke |  |
THE FIRST BOOKE OF LVCAN TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH.
Wars worse then ciuill on Thessalian playnes,And outrage strangling law & people strong,
We sing, whose conquering swords their own breasts laūcht
Armies alied, the kingdoms league vprooted
Th'affrighted worlds force: bent on publique spoile,
Trumpets, and drums like deadly threatning other,
Eagles alike displaide, darts answering darts.
Romans, what madnes, what huge lust of warre
Hath made Barbarians drunke with latin bloud?
Now Babilon, (proud through our spoile) should stoop
While slaughtred Crassus ghost walks vnreueng'd.
Will ye wadge war, for which you shall not triumph?
Ay me, O what a world of land and sea,
Might they haue won whom ciuil broiles haue slaine,
As far as Titan springs where night dims heauen,
I to the Torrid Zone vvhere midday burnes,
And vvhere stiffe vvinter vvhom no spring resolues,
Fetters the Euxin sea, vvith chaines of yee:
Scythia and vvilde Armenia had bin yoakt,
And they of Nilus mouth (if there liue any.)
Roome if thou take delight in impious vvarre,
First conquer all the earth, then turne thy force
Against thy selfe: as yet thou vvants not foes,
That rampiers fallen down, huge heapes of stone
Lye in our townes, that houses are abandon'd,
And few liue that behold their ancient seats;
Jtaly many yeares hath lyen vntil'd,
And choakt with thorns, that greedy earth wāts hinds
Fierce Pirhus, neither thou nor Hanniball
Art cause, no forraine foe could so afflict vs,
These plagues arise from wreake of ciuill power.
But if for Nero (then vnborne) the fates
Would find no other meanes, (and gods not sleightly
Purchase immortal thrones; nor Joue ioide heauen
Vntill the cruel Giants war was done.)
We plaine not heauens, but gladly beare these euils
For Neros sake: Pharsalia grone with slaughter;
And Carthage soules be glutted with our blouds;
At Munda let the dreadfull battailes ioyne;
Adde Cæsar; to these ills Perusian famine;
The Mutin toyles; the fleet at Leuca suncke;
And cruel field, nere burning Aetna fought:
Yet Room is much bound to these ciuil armes,
Which made thee Emperor, thee (seeing thou being old
Must shine a star) shal heauen (whom thou louest,)
Receiue with shouts; where thou wilt raigne as King,
Or mount the sunnes flame bearing charriot,
And with bright restles fire compasse the earth,
Vndaunted though her former guide be chang'd,
Nature, and euery power shal giue thee place,
What God it please thee be, or where to sway:
Nor yet the aduerse reking southerne pole,
Whence thou shouldst view thy Roome with squinting beams
If any one part of vast heauen thou swayest.
The burdened axes with thy force will bend;
The midst is best; that place is pure, and bright,
Their Cæsar may'st thou shine and no cloud dim thee;
Then men from war shal bide in league, and ease,
Peace through the world from Janus Phane shal flie,
And boult the brazen gates with barres of Iron.
Thou Cæsar at this instant art my God,
Thee if I inuocate, I shall not need
To craue Appolles ayde, or Bacchus helpe;
Thy power inspires the Muze that sings this war.
The causes first, I purpose to vnfould
Of these garboiles, whence springs along discourse,
And what made madding people shake off peace.
The fates are enuious, high seats quickly perish,
Vnder great burdens fals are euer greeuous;
Roome was so great it could not beare it selfe:
So when this worlds compounded vnion breakes,
Time ends and to old Chaos all things turne;
Confused stars shal meete, celestiall fire
Fleete on the flouds, the earth shoulder the sea,
Affording it no shoare, and Phœbe's waine,
Chace Phœbus and inrag'd affect his place,
And striue to shine by day, and ful of strife
Disolue the engins of the broken world.
Allot the height of honor, men so strong.
By land, and sea, no forreine force could ruine:
O Roome thy selfe art cause of all these euils,
Thy selfe thus shiuered out to three mens shares,
Dire league of partners in a kingdome last not.
O faintly ioyn'd friends with ambition blind,
Why ioine you force to share the world betwixt you?
While th'earth, the sea, and ayre, the earth sustaines;
While Titan striues against the worlds swift course;
Or Cynthia nights Queene waights vpon the day;
Shall neuer faith be found in fellow kings.
Dominion cannot suffer partnership;
This need no forraine proofe, nor far fet story:
Roomes infant walles were steept in brothers bloud;
Nor then was land, or sea, to breed such hate,
A towne with one poore church set them at oddes.
Cæsars, and Pompeys iarring loue soone ended,
T'was peace against their wils, betwixt them both
Stept Crassus in, euen as the slender Jsthmos,
Betwixt the Aezean and the Ionian sea,
Keepes each from other, but being worne away
They both burst out, and each incounter other:
So when as Crassus wretched death who stayd them,
Had fild Assirian Carras wals with bloud,
His losse made way for Roman outrages.
Parthians y'afflict vs more then ye suppose,
Being conquered, we are plaugde with ciuil war,
Gouerne the earth, the sea, the world it selfe
Would not admit two Lords: for Julia
Snatcht hence by cruel fates with ominous howles,
Bare downe to hell her sonne the pledge of peace,
And all bands of that death presaging aliance.
Iulia, had heauen giuen thee longer life
Thou hadst restrainde thy headstrong husbands rage.
Yea and thy father to, and swords thrown down.
Made all shake hands as once the Sabines did;
Thy death broake amity and trainde to war,
These Captaines emulous of each others glory.
Thou feard'st (great Pompey that late deeds would dim)
Olde triumphs, and that Cæsars conquering France,
Would dash the wreath thou wearst for Pirats wracke
Thee wars vse stirde, and thoughts that alwaies scorn'd
A second place; Pompey could bide no equall,
Nor Cæsar no superior, which of both
Had iustest cause vnlawful tis to iudge:
Each side had great partakers; Cæsars cause,
The gods abetted; Cato likt the other;
Both differ'd much, Pompey was strooke in yeares,
And by long rest forgot to manage armes,
And being popular sought by liberal gifts,
To gaine the light vnstable commons loue,
And ioyed to heare his Theaters applause;
He liu'd secure boasting his former deeds,
And thought his name sufficient to vphold him,
Bearing old spoiles and conquerors monuments,
Who though his root be weake, and his owne waight
Keepe him within the ground, his armes al bare,
His body (not his boughs) send forth a shade;
Though euery blast it nod, and seeme to fal,
When all the woods about stand bolt vp-right,
Yet he alone is held in reuerence.
Cæsars renowne for war was lesse, he restles,
Shaming to striue but where he did subdue,
When yre, or hope prouokt, heady, & bould,
At al times charging home, & making hauock;
Vrging his fortune, trusting in the gods
Destroying what withstood his proud desires,
And glad when bloud, & ruine made him way:
So thunder which the wind teares from the cloudes,
With cracke of riuen ayre and hideous sound,
Filling the world, leapes out and throwes forth fire,
Affrights poore fearefull men, and blasts their eyes
With ouerthwarting flames, and raging shoots
Alongst the ayre and not resisting it
Falls, and returnes, and shiuers where it lights.
Such humors stirde them vp; but this warrs seed,
Was euen the same that wrack's all great dominions.
When fortune made vs lords of all, wealth flowed,
And then we grew licencious and rude,
The soldiours pray, and rapine brought in ryot,
Men tooke delight in Iewels, houses, plate,
Too light for women; Pouerty (who hatcht
Roomes greatest wittes) was loath'd, and al the world
Ransanckt for golde, which breeds the world decay;
And then large limits had their butting lands,
The ground which Curius and Camillus till'd,
Was stretcht vnto the fields of hinds vnknowne;
Againe, this people could not brooke calme peace,
Them freedome without war might not suffice,
Quarrels were rife, greedy desire stil poore
Did vild deeds, then t'was worth the price of bloud,
And deem'd renowne to spoile their natiue towne,
Force mastered right, the strongest gouern'd all,
Hence came it that th'edicts were ouerrul'd,
That lawes were broake, Tribunes with Consuls stroue,
Sale made of offices, and peoples voices,
Bought by themselues & solde, and euery yeare
Frauds and corruption in the field of Mars;
Hence interest and deuouring vsury sprang,
Faiths breach, & hence came war to most men welcom.
Now Cæsar ouerpast the snowy Alpes,
His mind was troubled, and he aim'd at war,
And comming to the foord of Rubicon,
At night in dreadful vision fearefull Roome,
Mourning appear'd, whose hoary hayres were torne,
And on her Turret, bearing head disperst,
And armes all naked, who with broken sighes,
And staring, thus bespoke, what mean'st thou Cæsar?
And beare true harts, stay heare: this spectacle
Stroake Cæsars hart with feare, his hayre stoode vp,
And faintnes numm'd his steps there on the brincke:
He thus cride out: Thou thunderer that guardst
Roomes mighty walles built on Tarpeian rocke,
Ye gods of Phrigia and Iûlus line,
Quirinus rites and Latian Joue aduanc'd,
On Alba hill, ô Vestall flames, ô Roome,
My thoughts sole goddes, aide mine enterprise,
I hate thee not, to thee my conquests stoope,
Cæsar is thine, so please it thee, thy soldier;
He, he afflicts Roome that made me Roomes foe.
This said, he laying aside all lets of war,
Approcht the swelling streame with drum and ensigne,
Like to a Lyon of scortcht desart Affricke,
Who seeing hunters pauseth till fell wrath
And kingly rage increase, then hauing whiskt
His taile athwart his backe, and crest heau'd vp,
With iawes wide open ghastly roaring out;
(Albeit the Moores light Iauelin or his speare
Sticks in his side) yet runs vpon the hunter.
In summer time the purple Rubicon,
Which issues from a small spring is but shallow,
And creepes along the vales deuiding iust
The bounds of Jtaly, from Cisalpin Fraunce;
But now the winters wrath and wat'ry moone,
Being three daies old inforst the floud to swell,
The thunder hou'd horse in a crooked line,
To scape the violence of the streame first waded,
Which being broke the foot had easie passage.
As soone as Cæsar got vnto the banke
And bounds of Italy; here, here (saith he)
An end of peace; here end polluted lawes;
Hence leagues, and couenants; Fortune thee I follow,
Warre and the destinies shall trie my cause.
This said, the restles generall through the darke
(Swifter then bullets throwne from Spanish slinges,
Or darts which Parthians backward shoot (marcht on
And then (when Lucifer did shine alone,
And some dim stars) he Arriminum enter'd:
Day rose and viewde these tumultes of the war;
Whether the gods, or blustring south were cause
I know not, but the cloudy ayre did frown;
The soldiours hauing won the market place,
There spred the colours, with confused noise
Of trūpets clange, shril cornets, whistling fifes;
The people started; young men left their beds;
And snatcht armes neer their houshold gods hung vp
Such as peace yeelds; wormeaten leatherne targets,
Through which the wood peer'd, headles darts, olde swords
With vgly teeth of blacke rust fouly scarr'd:
But seeing white Eagles, & Roomes flags wel known,
And lofty Cæsar in the thickest throng,
They shooke for feare, & cold benumm'd their lims,
O wals vnfortunate too neere to France,
Predestinate to ruine; all lands else
Haue stable peace, here wars rage first begins,
We bide the first brunt, safer might we dwel,
Vnder the frosty beare, or parching East,
VVagons or tents, then in this frontire towne,
We first sustain'd the vproares of the Gaules,
And furious Cymbrians and of Carthage moores,
As oft as Roome was sackt, here gan the spoile:
Thus sighing whispered they, and none durst speake
And shew their feare, or griefe: but as the fields
When birds are silent thorough winters rage;
Or sea far from the land, so all were whist.
Now light had quite dissolu'd the mysty might,
And Cæsars mind vnsetled musing stood;
But gods and fortune prickt him to this war,
Infringing all excuse of modest shame,
And laboring to approue his quarrell good.
The angry Senate vrging Grachus deeds,
From doubtfull Roome wrongly expel'd the Tribunes,
That crost them; both which now approacht the camp,
And with them Curio; sometime Tribune too,
One that was feed for Cæsar, and whose tongue
Could tune the people to the Nobles mind:
Cæsar (said he) while eloquence preuail'd,
And I might pleade, and draw the Commons minds
To fauour thee, against the Senats will.
But law being put to silence by the wars;
We from our houses driuen, most willingly
Suffered exile: let thy sword bring vs home.
Now while their part is weake, and feares, march hence
“Where men are ready, lingering euer hurts:
In ten yeares wonst thou France; Roome may be won
With farre lesse toile, and yet the honors more;
Few battailes fought with prosperous successe
May bring her downe, and with her all the world;
Nor shalt thou triumph when thou comst to Roome:
Nor capitall be adorn'd with sacred bayes:
Enuy denies all, with thy bloud must thou
Abie thy conquest past: the sonne decrees
To expel the father; share the world thou canst not;
Inioy it all thou maiest: thus Curio spake,
And therewith Cæsar prone ennough to warre,
Was so incenst as are Eleius steedes
With clamors: who though lockt and chaind in stalls,
Souse downe the wals, and make a passage forth:
Straight summon'd he his seuerall companies
Vnto the standard: his graue looke appeasd
The wrastling tumult, and right hand made silence:
And thus he spake; you that with me haue borne
A thousand brunts, and tride me ful ten yeeres,
See how they quit our bloudshed in the North;
Our friends death; and our wounds; our wintering
Vnder the Alpes; Roome rageth now in armes
Cornets of horse are mustered for the field;
Woods turn'd to ships; both land and sea against vs:
Had forraine wars ill thriu'd; or wrathful France
Pursu'd vs hither, how were we bestead
When comming conqueror Roome afflicts me thus?
Let come their leaders whom long peace hath quail'd;
Raw soldiours lately prest; and troupes of gownes;
Brabbling Marcellus; Cato whom fooles reuerence;
Must Pompeis followers with strangers ayde,
(Whom frō his youth he bribde) needs make him king?
And shal he triumph long before his time,
And hauing once got head still shal he raigne?
What should I talke of mens corne reapt by force,
And by him kept of purpose for a dearth,
Who sees not warre sit by the quiuering Iudge;
And sentence giuen in rings of naked swords,
And lawes assailde, and arm'd men in the Senate;
Twas his troupe hem'd in Milo being accusde;
And now least age might waine his state, he casts
For ciuill warre, wherein through vse he's known
To exceed his maister, that arch-traitor Sylla.
A brood of barbarous Tygars hauing lapt
The bloud of many a heard, whilst with their dams
They kennel'd in Hircania euermore
Wil rage and pray: so Pompey thou hauing lickt
Warme goare from Syllas sword art yet athirst,
Iawes, flesh, with bloud continue murderous.
What end of mischiefe? Sylla teaching thee,
At last learne wretch to leaue thy monarchy;
What, now Scicillian Pirats are supprest,
And Jaded, king of Pontus poisoned slaine,
Must Pompey as his last foe plume on me,
Because at his commaund I wound not vp
My conquering Eagles? say I merit nought,
Yet for long seruice done, reward these men,
And so they triumph, be't with whom ye wil.
Whether now shal these olde bloudles soules repaire?
What seates for their deserts? what store of ground
For seruitors to till? what Colonies
To rest their bones? say Pompey, are these worse
Then Pirats of Sycillia? they had houses:
Spead, spread these flags that ten years space haue conquer'd,
Lets vse our tried force, they that now thwart right
In wars wil yeeld to wrong: the gods are with vs,
Neither spoile, nor kingdom seeke we by these armes,
But Roome at thraldoms feet to rid from tyrants.
This spoke none answer'd but a murmuring buz
Th'vnstable people made: their houshold gods
And loue to Room (thogh slaughter steeld their harts
And minds were prone) restrain'd them; but wars loue
And Cæsars awe dasht all: then Lalius
The chiefe Centurion crown'd with Oaken leaues,
For sauing of a Romaine Citizen,
Stept forth, and cryde, chiefe leader of Rooms force,
We grieue at this thy patience and delay,
What doubtst thou vs? euen nowe when youthfull bloud
Pricks forth our liuely bodies, and strong armes
Can mainly throw the dart; wilt thou indure
These purple groomes? that Senates tyranny?
Is conquest got by ciuill war so hainous?
Well, leade vs then to Syrtes desart shoare;
Or Scythia; or hot Libiaes thirsty sands.
This hand that all behind vs might be quail'd,
Hath with thee past the swelling Ocean;
And swept the foming brest of Articks Rhene,
Loue ouer-rules my will, I must obay thee,
Cæsar, he whom I heare thy trumpets charge
I hould no Romaine; by these ten blest ensignes
And all thy seueral triumphs, shouldst thou bid me
Intombe my sword within my brothers bowels;
Or fathers throate; or womens groning wombe;
This hand (albeit vnwilling) should performe it;
Or rob the gods; or sacred temples fire:
These troupes should soone pull down the church of Joue,
If to incampe on Thuscan Tybers streames;
Ile bouldly quarter out the fields of Rome;
What wals thou wilt be leaueld with the ground,
These hands shall thrust the ram, and make them flie,
Albeit the Citty thou wouldst haue so ra'st
Be Roome it selfe. Here euery band applauded,
And with their hands held vp, all ioyntly cryde
As when against pine bearing Ossa's rocks,
Beates Thracian Boreas; or when trees bowde down,
And rustling swing vp as the wind fets breath.
When Cæsar saw his army proane to war,
And fates so bent, least sloth and long delay
Might crosse him, he withdrew his troupes frō France,
And in all quarters musters men for Roome.
They by Lemannus nooke forsooke their tents;
They whom the Lingones foild with painted speares,
Vnder the rockes by crooked Vogesus;
And many came from shallow Jsara,
Who running long, fals in a greater floud,
And ere he sees the sea looseth his name;
The yellow Ruthens left their garrisons;
Mild Atax glad it beares not Roman bloats;
And frontier Varus that the campe is farre,
Sent aide; so did Alcides port, whose seas
Eate hollow rocks, and where the north-west wind;
Nor Zephir rules not, but the north alone,
Turmoiles the coast, and enterance forbids;
And others came from that vncertaine shore,
Which is nor sea, nor land, but oft times both,
And changeth as the Ocean ebbes and flowes:
Whether the sea roul'd alwaies from that point,
Whence the wind blowes stil forced to and fro;
Or that the wandring maine follow the moone?
Or flaming Titan (feeding on the deepe,
Philosophers looke you, for vnto me
Thou cause what ere thou be whom God assignes,
This great effect, art hid. They came that dwell
By Nemes fields, and bankes of Satirus;
Where Tarbels winding shoares imbrace the sea,
The Santons that reioyce in Cæsars loue,
Those of Bituriges and light Axon pikes;
And they of Rhene, and Leuca cunning darters,
And Sequana that well could manage steeds;
The Belgians apt to gouerne Brittish cars;
Th'Auerni, too which bouldly faine themselues;
The Romanes brethren, sprung of Ilian race;
The stubborne Neruians staind with Cottas bloud;
And vangions who like those of Sarmata,
Were open slops: and fierce Batauians,
Whome trumpets clang incites, and those that dwel
By Cyngas streame, and where swift Rhodanus
Driues Araris to sea; They neere the hils,
Vnder whose hoary rocks Gebenna hangs;
And Treuier; thou being glad that wars are past thee;
And you late shorne Ligurians, who were wont
In large spread heire to exceed the rest of France;
And where to Hesus, and fell Mercury (Joue)
They offer humane flesh, and where it seemes
Bloudy like Dian, whom the Scythians serue;
And you French Bardi, whose immortal pens
Renowne the valiant soules slaine in your wars,
And Druides you now in peace renew
Your barbarous customes, and sinister rites,
In vnfeld woods, and sacred groues you dwell,
And only gods & heauenly powers you know,
Or only know you nothing. For you hold
That soules passe not to silent Erebus
Or Plutoes bloodles kingdom, but else where
Resume a body: so (if truth you sing)
Death brings lōg life. Doubtles these northren men
Whom death the greatest of all feares affright not,
Are blest by such sweet error, this makes them
Run on the swords point and desire to die,
And shame to spare life which being lost is wonne;
You likewise that repulst the Caicke foe,
March towards Roome; and you fierce men of Rhene
Leauing your countrey open to the spoile.
These being come, their huge power made him bould
To mannage greater deeds; the bordering townes
He garrison'd; and Jtaly he fild with soldiours.
Vaine fame increast true feare, and did inuade
The peoples minds, and laide before their eies
Slaughter to come, and swiftly bringing newes
Of present war, made many lies and tales,
One sweares his troupes of daring horsemen fought
Vpon Meuanias plaine, where Buls are graz'd;
Other that Cæsars barbarous bands were spread
Along Nar floud that into Tiber fals,
Marcht not intirely, and yet hide the ground,
And that he's much chang'd, looking wild and big,
And far more barbarous then the French (his vassals)
And that he lags behind with them of purpose;
Borne twixt the Alpes & Rhene, which he hath brought
From out their Northren parts, and that Roome
He looking on by these men should be sackt.
Thus in his fright did each man strengthen Fame,
And without ground, fear'd, what thēselues had faind:
Nor were the Commons only strooke to heart
With this vaine terror; but the Court, the Senate;
The fathers selues leapt from their seats; and flying
Left hateful warre decreed to both the Consuls.
Then with their feare, and danger al distract,
Their sway of fleight carries the heady rout
That in chain'd troupes breake forth at euery port;
You would haue thought their houses had bin fierd
Or dropping-ripe, ready to fall with Ruine,
So rusht the inconsiderate multitude
Thorough the Citty hurried headlong on,
As if, the only hope (that did remaine
To their afflictions) were t'abandon Roome.
Looke how when stormy Auster from the breach
Of Libian Syrtes, roules a monstrous waue,
Which makes the maine saile fal with hideous sound;
The Pilot from the helme leapes in the sea;
And Marriners, albeit the keele be sound
All rise in armes; nor could the bed-rid parents
Keep back their sons, or womens teares their husbands;
They stai'd not either to pray or sacrifice,
Their houshould gods restrain thē not, none lingered,
As loath to leaue Roome whom they held so deere,
Th'irreuocable people flie in troupes.
O gods that easie grant men great estates,
But hardly grace to keepe them: Roome that flowes
With Citizens and Captaines, and would hould
The world (were it together) is by cowards
Left as a pray now Cæsar doth approach:
VVhen Romans are besieg'd by forraine foes,
With slender trench they escape night stratagems,
And suddaine rampire raisde of turfe snatcht vp
Would make them sleepe securely in their tents.
Thou Roome at name of warre runst from thy selfe,
And wilt not trust thy Citty walls one night:
VVel might these feare, when Pompey fear'd and fled,
Now euermore least some one hope might ease
The Cömons iangling minds, apparant signes arose,
Strange sights appear'd, the angry threatning gods
Fill'd both the earth and seas with prodegies;
Great store of strange and vnknown stars were seene
VVandering about the North, and rings of fire
Flie in the ayre, and dreadfull bearded stars,
And Commets that presage the fal of kingdoms.
The flattering skie gliter'd in often flames,
Now spearlike, long; now like a spreading torch:
Lightning in silence, stole forth without clouds,
And from the northren climat snatching fier
Blasted the Capitoll: The lesser stars
Which wont to run their course through empty night
At noone day mustered; Phœbe hauing fild
Her meeting hornes to match her brothers light,
Strooke with th'earths suddaine shadow waxed pale,
Titan himselfe thro and in the midst of heauen,
His burning chariot plung'd in sable cloudes,
And whelm'd the world in darknesse, making men
Dispaire of day; as did Thiestes towne;
(Mycenæ) Phœbus flying through the East:
Fierce Mulciber vnbarred; Ætna's gate,
Which flamed not on high; but headlong pitcht
Her burning head on bending Hespery.
Cole-blacke Charibdis whirl'd a sea of bloud;
Fierce Mastiues hould; the vestall fires went out,
The flame in Alba consecrate to Joue,
Parted in twaine; and with a double point
Rose like the Theban brothers funerall fire;
The earth went off hir hinges; And the Alpes
Shooke the old snow from off their trembling laps.
The Ocean swell'd, as high as Spanish Calpe;
Or Atlas head, their saints and houshold gods
Sweate teares to shew the trauailes of their citty.
Crownes fell from holy statues, ominous birds
Leauing the woods lodge in the streetes of Rome.
Cattell were seene that muttered humane speech:
Prodigious birthes with more and vgly iointes
Then nature giues, whose sight appauls the mother,
And dismall Prophesies were spread abroad:
And they whom fierce Bellonaes fury moues,
To wound their armes, sing vengeance, Sibils priests,
Curling their bloudy lockes, howle dreadfull things,
Soules quiet and appeas'd sight from their graues,
Clashing of armes was heard, in vntrod woods,
Shrill voices schright, and ghoasts incounter men,
Those that inhabited the suburbe fieldes
Fled, fowle Erinnis stalkt about the wals,
Shaking her snakie haire and crooked pine
With flaming toppe, much like that hellish fiend;
Which made the sterne Lycurgus wound his thigh,
Or fierce Agaue mad; or like Megæra
That scar'd Alcides, when by Junoes taske
He had before lookt Pluto in the face.
Trumpets were heard to sound; and with what noise
An armed battaile ioines, such and more strange
Blacke night brought forth in secret: Sylla's ghost
Was seene to walke, singing sad Oracles,
And Marius head aboue cold Tau'ron peering
(His graue broke open) did affright the Boores.
To these ostents (as their old custome was)
They call th'Etrurian Augures, amonst whom
Well skild in Pyromancy; one that knew
The hearts of beasts, and flight of wandring foules;
First he commands such monsters Nature hatcht
Against her kind (the barren Mules loth'd issue)
To be cut forth and cast in dismall fiers:
Then, that the trembling Citizens should walke
About the City; then the sacred priests
That with diuine lustration purg'd the wals,
And went the round, in, and without the towne.
Next, an inferiour troupe, in tuckt vp vestures;
After the Gabine manner: then the Nunnes
And their vaild Matron, who alone might view
Mineruas statue; then, they that keepe, and read
Sybillas secret works, and washt their saint
In Almo's floud: Next learned Augures follow;
Apolloes southsayers; and Joues feasting priests;
The skipping Salij with shields like wedges;
And Flamins last, with networke wollen vailes.
While these thus in and out had circled Roome,
Looke what the lightning blasted, Aruns takes
And it inters with murmurs dolorous,
And cals the place Bidentad, on the Altar
He laies a ne're-yoakt Bull, and powers downe wine,
Then crams salt leuin on his crooked knife;
The beast long struggled, as being like to proue
An aukward sacrifice, but by the hornes
The quick priest pull'd him on his knees & slew him:
In steed of red bloud wallowed venemous gore,
These direful signes made Aruns stand amaz'd,
And searching farther for the gods displeasure,
The very cullor scard him; a dead blacknesse
Ranne through the bloud, that turn'd it all to gelly,
And stain'd the bowels with darke lothsome spots,
The liuer swell'd with filth: and euery vaine
Did threaten horror from the host of Cæsar;
A small thin skinne contain'd the vital parts,
The heart stird not, and from the gaping liuer
Squis'd matter through the cal; the intralls pearde,
And which (aie me) euer pretendeth ill,
At that bunch where the liuer is, appear'd
A knob of flesh, whereof one halfe did looke
Dead, and discoulour'd; th'other leane and thinne.
By these he seeing what myschiefes must ensue,
Cride out, O gods! I tremble to vnfould
What you intend, great Joue is now displeas'd,
And in the brest of this slaine Bull are crept,
Th'infernall powers. My feare transcends my words
Yet more will happen then I can vnfold,
Turne all to good, be Augury vaine, and Tages
Th'arts master falce. Thus in ambiguous tearmes,
Inuoluing all, did Aruns darkly sing.
But Figulus more seene in heauenly mysteries,
Whose like Aegiptian Memphis neuer had
For skill in stars, and tune-full planeting
And casuall; all the starres at randome radge:
Or if Fate rule them, Rome thy Cittizens
Are neere some plague? what mischiefe shall insue?
Shall townes be swallowed? shall the thickned aire,
Become intemperate? shall the earth be barraine?
Shall water be conieal'd and turn'd to ice?
O Gods what death prepare ye? with what plague
Meane ye to radge? the death of many men
Meetes in one period. If cold noysome Saturne
Were now exalted, and with blew beames shinde,
Then Gaynimede would renew Deucalions flood,
And in the fleeting sea the earth be drencht.
O Phæbus shouldst thou with thy rayes now sing
The fell Nemean beast, th'earth would be fired,
And heauen tormented with thy chafing heate,
But thy fiers hurt not; Mars, 'tis thou enflam'st
The threatning Scorpion with the burning taile
And fier'st his cleyes. Why art thou thus enrag'd?
Kind Jupiter hath low declin'd himselfe;
Venus is faint; swift Hermes retrograde;
Mars onely rules the heauen: why doe the Planets
Alter their course; and vainly dim their vertue?
Sword-girt Orions side glisters too bright.
Wars radge draws neare; & to the swords strong hād,
Let all Lawes yeeld, sinne beare the name of vertue,
Many a yeare these firious broiles let last,
Why should we wish the gods should euer end them?
The course of mischiefe, and stretch out the date
Of slaughter; onely ciuill broiles make peace.
These sad presages were enough to scarre
The quiuering Romans, but worse things affright them,
As Mænus full of wine on Pindus raues,
So runnes a Matron through th'amazed streetes,
Disclosing Phœbus furie in this sort:
Pean whither am I halde? where shall I fall?
Thus borne aloft I see Pangeus hill,
With hoarie toppe, and vnder Hemus mount
Philippi plaines; Phœbus what radge is this?
Why grapples Rome, and makes war, hauing no foes?
Whither turne I now? thou lead'st me toward th'east,
Where Nile augmenteth the Pelusian sea:
This headlesse trunke that lies on Nylus sande
I know, now throughout the aire I flie,
To doubtfull Sirtes and drie Affricke, where
A fury leades the Emathian bandes, from thence
To the pine bearing hils, hence to the mounts
Pirene, and so backe to Rome againe.
Se impious warre defiles the Senat house,
New factions rise; now through the world againe:
I goe; ô Phœbus shew me Neptunes shore,
And other Regions, I haue seene Philippi:
This said being tir'd with fury she sunke downe.
FINIS.
| Lvcans first booke | |